Study of the life cycle of Coccinella algerica

Among entomophagous predators, ladybugs are currently one of the best-known families in biological control. They constitute a group of insects which plays a very important role in regulating aphid populations. The present study focuses on a few biological aspects of the aphidiphagous ladybug Coccinella algerica. The biological development cycle of this ladybug takes 29 days at an average temperature of 23.6°C and an average relative humidity of 50%. Larval development passes through four stages (L1, L2, L3, L4). Fourth-stage larvae and pupae show the highest natural mortality rate. Key words: C. algerica, life cycle, mortality rate, temperature, humidity.